DAILY READINGS

DAILY MASS READINGS

Thursday 18 September 2025

Thursday of week 24 in Ordinary Time

Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: C(I)

Readings at Mass

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First reading
1 Timothy 4:12-16

Be an example to all the believers

Do not let people disregard you because you are young, but be an example to the believers in the way you speak and behave, and in your love, your faith and your purity. Make use of the time until I arrive by reading to the people, preaching and teaching. You have in you a spiritual gift which was given to you when the prophets spoke and the body of elders laid their hands on you; do not let it lie unused. Think hard about all this, and put it into practice, and everyone will be able to see how you are advancing. Take great care about what you do and what you teach; always do this, and in this way you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.

Commentary

These little pieces of advice read like typical advice from an older person to a younger one, slightly mistrustful, slightly fussy: Timothy is not to take any decisive action until Paul’s own arrival, although Paul recognises that Timothy has his own charism and was judged responsible by the elders who laid hands on him to entrust him in the Holy Spirit with the responsibility for his office. We cannot tell exactly what is meant by ‘your young age’, for the expression is used flexibly, depending on the age of the speaker; an age-gap of a decade might justify it. By this time Timothy was no stripling. Paul had co-opted him early in his mission (Acts 16.1), and had entrusted him with several difficult missions, which makes the patronizing tone here all the more surprising; by this time he must have been a man of some experience. Nor are the limitations suggested by Paul obvious; ‘reading aloud’, encouragement and teaching cover a broad range
More interesting are the implications of the imposition of hands by the elders, which suggest that Timothy was appointed and blessed by the community, in much the same way as Paul himself was by the community at Antioch in Acts 13.3 at the beginning of his mission. This shows that Timothy was considered an agent of the community as well as of Paul. In 2 Timothy 1.6 Paul himself has laid hands on Timothy; this could be the same or a different commissioning. In any case, an embryonic sacramental church-structure is already beginning to appear.

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Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 110(111):7-10

Great are the works of the Lord.
or
Alleluia!

His works are justice and truth,
his precepts are all of them sure,
standing firm for ever and ever;
they are made in uprightness and truth.

Great are the works of the Lord.
or
Alleluia!

He has sent deliverance to his people
and established his covenant for ever.
Holy his name, to be feared.

Great are the works of the Lord.
or
Alleluia!

To fear the Lord is the first stage of wisdom;
all who do so prove themselves wise.
His praise shall last for ever!

Great are the works of the Lord.
or
Alleluia!

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Gospel Acclamation
2Co5:19

Alleluia, alleluia!
God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,
and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled.
Alleluia!

Or:
Mt11:28

Alleluia, alleluia!
Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
Alleluia!

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Gospel
Luke 7:36-50

Her many sins have been forgiven, or she would not have shown such great love

One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to a meal. When he arrived at the Pharisee’s house and took his place at table, a woman came in, who had a bad name in the town. She had heard he was dining with the Pharisee and had brought with her an alabaster jar of ointment. She waited behind him at his feet, weeping, and her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them away with her hair; then she covered his feet with kisses and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who this woman is that is touching him and what a bad name she has.’ Then Jesus took him up and said, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ ‘Speak, Master’ was the reply. ‘There was once a creditor who had two men in his debt; one owed him five hundred denarii, the other fifty. They were unable to pay, so he pardoned them both. Which of them will love him more?’ ‘The one who was pardoned more, I suppose’ answered Simon. Jesus said, ‘You are right.’
Then he turned to the woman. ‘Simon,’ he said ‘you see this woman? I came into your house, and you poured no water over my feet, but she has poured out her tears over my feet and wiped them away with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but she has been covering my feet with kisses ever since I came in. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. For this reason I tell you that her sins, her many sins, must have been forgiven her, or she would not have shown such great love. It is the man who is forgiven little who shows little love.’ Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ Those who were with him at table began to say to themselves, ‘Who is this man, that he even forgives sins?’ But he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’

Commentary

This is a story of devotion and repentance, but a story also of the welcome of Jesus. He does not rebuke the sinner or interrogate her. He sets no pre-conditions, demands no promise of improvement. The details of her sin are unimportant to him; the heartfelt repentance is all that matters. Of all the evangelists Luke especially stores up stories of the return of sinners: the Prodigal Son, the Pharisee and the Tax-Collector at Prayer, Zacchaeus, the Good Thief. To Matthew’s story of Joy at the Man’s Found Sheep he adds the story of Joy at the Woman’s Found Coin (typically adding woman to man). In contrast to all this stands the host at the dinner-party, Simon the Pharisee, not evil, but a stickler for observance of the Law, and judgemental of others. However, Jesus is delicate even to Simon, giving him a question he can answer, so that Jesus can affirm him before he points out his shortcomings.
It is both tempting and illuminating to bring this story alongside the story in John 8.1-11. Are these two different accounts of the same incident? Are they stories about the same woman on different occasions? (Did Jesus come in contact with only one repentant adulteress?) Why did the woman at Simon’s house have a bad name? The joining of the two stories strengthens our appreciation of Jesus’ welcome to sinners
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